Poster #26 - Executive Functions: Latent Profiles in Middle Childhood and Unique Associations with Facets of Complex Self-Regulation

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Executive functions (EFs) unite a group of cognitive skills fundamental for planning and producing goal-oriented, adaptive, and self-regulated behavior. While EFs likely emerge in early childhood in the form of a domain general-control mechanism, they show protracted development and specification across childhood through adolescence up until early adulthood (Boelema et al., 2014; Karr et al., 2018; Lee et al., 2013). Multiple facets of EF are suggested in previous literature: ‘Cool’ EFs are important for solving abstract, logical problems and include inhibition, working-memory updating, and set shifting (Miyake et al., 2000). Hot EFs are required during social or motivational conflict and include emotional decision-making and delay of gratification (Peterson & Welsh, 2014; Poon, 2017). Studies have observed the unique differentiation of EF facets into separable skills throughout middle childhood (Brydges et al., 2014; Hartung et al., 2020; Welsh & Peterson, 2013), and different facets are assumed to have differing developmental trajectories due to their varying complexity, dependencies, and neural origin (Friedman & Miyake, 2017). The discussion regarding the exact number of EF facets, their interdependence, and the timeline of their maturation is still ongoing. Yet most current research is variable-oriented rather than person-oriented and frequently focusses on preschool or clinical populations. To our knowledge, no study to date has combined both hot and cool EFs in a profile-oriented latent model during middle childhood. Building on shortcomings in previous research, the present study aims to identify and characterize subgroups of typically developing children according to their performance across all five above-mentioned EF factors. By describing these subgroups according to their strengths, weaknesses, associated demographics and self-regulatory abilities, the study contributes to the understanding of socio-cognitive development. We assume to identify unique developmental profiles that differ in their mean EF-performance and associated covariates in comparison to overall sample means. This approach allows for a detailed investigation into variations of functional specialization within a community sample. To do so, baseline data of the ongoing longitudinal observational mixed-methods PIER Study (T1; N=1657; mean age=8.4 years; 52.1% female) is used. Via latent-profile analysis, children will be grouped according to systematic differences in their expression (higher vs. lower mean performance) across behavioral measures of the five EF facets. Each profile’s shape and prevalence will be reported. Potential predictors of profile membership such as age, gender and language ability will be explored. Potential variance in self-regulatory outcomes (parental and teacher reports) associated with profile membership will also be examined using longitudinal modelling (T1 – T3; N=1504; mean age=11,1 years; 51.9% female) by introducing distal variables for emotion regulation, anger regulation, impulsivity, as well as planning and organizing. Understanding the occurrence and distribution of interindividual EF-profiles during development may provide insight into the underlying interactions between the EFs. The person-oriented approach may support the identification of potentially at-risk subgroups of children and youth, who are affected by maladaptive or problematic self-regulative abilities as these become increasingly relevant during adolescence.

Authors

• Ariadne Brandt, University of Potsdam
  Presenting Author

• Rebecca Bondü, Psychological University Berlin

• Birgit Elsner, University of Potsdam